Rotary tool with key pocket



QA; G. DECKER n oTARY' Toor WITH KY ocKE-r Filed June 253, -1925 3 Sheetshshet :con o u. vPavava Patented Nov. 1, 1 927.

ALONZO GALLOWAY DECKER,

BLACK a DECKER MANUFACTURING PORATION OE MARYLAND.

ROTARY ,'.llOOl-[i WITH KEY POCKET.

Application filed ."Iuxie 25, 1325. Serial No. 39,4528.

To clamp 'and release the bit, i. e., to operate the chuckk in the various portable power-driven rotary tools as drills, screwdrivers, wrenches and the like, the clamping 5 element of the chuck being a sleeve with an internally tapered threadedportion and a set of correspondingly threaded jaws mounted in converging holes in the chuck body, it is necessary to rotate the sleeve and Jaws 1o relatively to the chuck body which is secured to the spindle, and in Order to produce the desired clamping effect, to apply a considerable degree 'of torque in producing this relative rotationof the parts. As the shaft and motor in most power-driven tools are com- A pletely encased and the projecting rotary portions, principally the chuck, are circular and of comparatively small diameter, it is practically impossible to so grasp them by hand as to successfully clamp 4and release the' bit.

To obviate chuck in this way, the chuck sleeve is most commonly provided with a row Ot bevel teeth concentric with the axis and radiating therefrom, and the parts are operated by means of a key having a bevel pinion secured to the other `end With a centering 'pin beyond the pinion, which pin takes a bearing in a hole or holes in the chuck body, bevel pinion engaging the teeth on the chuck sleeve, sot-hatby turning the key, the parts, i. e., the base and the clamping member may track of the keys, which are smalli com.

pared to the tool and cannot be conveniently attached by means of a cord or chain in such a Way as to be available for use, as the tools are subject torough andconstant handling in use, and when so fastened, the keys et in the way and soon become detached y` breaking of the cord lthe tool. L.

The present-invention relates to theproand are lost, disabling `the necessity for operating the fied forms.

the teeth of thev be rotated, one relatively to the other con-` vision of means for so placing and carrying the key that it is always available and cannot be lost ordetached when Once stowed, the arrangement being such that the key is automatically locked against accidental displacement. `This means is in the form sho-Wn, a conveniently accessible pocket for the key with means for holding the key in the pocket, whereby it is automatically gripped when inserted, the parts being so arranged that the key is entirely out of the way at all times and instantaneously accessible, a pull on the key serving to release it. The key pocket is preferablylocated inthe handle which may-be of various types, and the key is held therein by means of a spring or similar grip which engages the key on its insertion, the key bel ing given a slight excess'thrust for this pur'- pose and released on application of a pull slightly in excess of what would otherwise be necessary.

In the accompanying drawing I have illus-A trated an electric drill having a' chuck lOpened and closed by means .of a key,y the drilly being providedwith a pocket in the handle in accordance with the inventionthe samebeing shown in several slightlyr modi- In the drawings- Figure l is an elevation of an electric drill v,having a chuck operated by a key, the drill being provided -with a spade handle having a pocket for the key, the pocket having means for holding the key against displacenient, the latter being shown insection.

Figui-e 2 is an elevation Oi an electric drill having a pistol grip, the tool having a chuck operatedby a key and a pocket for the key in the pistol grip. f p

Figure 3 is an elevation of a handle for a rotarypower-driven tool as a drill, grinder or screw-driver, the same vbeing lof the type known as a spade handle and being provided with a pocket for the key with a'clip `for holding the key in the pocket, the pocket being sectioned.

Figure 4 is a side View looking from 'the 'left in Figure 3 at one opening to the'pocket.

This view shows the key protruding from the socket.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary'view looking at-the entrance to the pocket as in Figure 4,

but showing' a modified form of clip, the

handle in both' instancesl being the spade' modified forrn'of clip Afor holding the key the pocket as jin Figure 5.

gure 7 is' a View4 corresponding to Figure 3 showing a spade handle having a clip 'with a plurality of ,-'springs forming the clip," so that it is more flexible and' adapt ed tohold keys of different sizes,. a single .handle being kept in stock by the dealers and applied to dii'erent sizesjof tools which have chucks of different sizes Aand require keys of and provided intermediately with a spring i clip -l7consisting of-a plate lspring bent to diierent sizes, any of. which may .becarried i and held in' the pocket shown;

' are of another form; and

cross-bar of the key and the end of the key -Figure 8 is a detail view showing ragmentarily a pistol grip provided` with a pocket and clip in accordance With the 1nvention, theciip being of the type shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 9 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 but showing only a fragment atv the end of a spade handle, the portion shown being in 'section to show the pocket and clip, which Figure 101 is a side View from the left in Figure 9 showingl the pocket opening. and

`Referring to the drawings by numerals', each of which is used to indicate the same or similar parts in the dilferent figures, a rotary --poWer-driven portable tool in the form of a drill, screw-driveror Wrench 1s Shown in Figure 1. The tool indicated by reference character 1, is'provided with .a

I spade handle 2 and a chuck Shaving a sleeve et and body 5, the sleeve having on its edge a ring of bevel teeth 6 and the body member of' the chuck having one or more radial holes or sockets 7 to be engaged by the pin 8 on the end of the key-` 9 which, see Fig. 3, is in the form of a shaft 10 having a cross-bar 11, the shaft being provided at the end opposite the cross-bar 'With a-bevel pinion 12l which. is positioned and centered by the pin S'Which is aligned Withthe shaftA and the small'end of the pinion.V

In accordance With the established practice, the chuck is operated, i. e., opened and closed by placing the key 9 as illustrated in projects from dotted lines in Figure 2, with the pin 8in a hole 7, the bevel pinion 12 meshing With the bevel teeth 6 on`the lower edge of the chuck sleeve 4,-rotation of the key in this position serving to rotate the clamping member of the -chuck relativelyvto the base to open and j -close the chuck javvs.`

As already pointed out, it is not convenient toattach the key by means of a cord -or chain or an external clip, as the tools are subject to rough usage and the keysv thus se- I,

.chucks require dierent sized keys. For

cured are soon detached and `mislaid, Whenl the tool becomes practically inoperative, nor' are covered pockets desirable as the cover is l diiiicultl to attach 'and' detach, causing loss of timeFand is, on account ofA the diliiculty in attaching and detaching,soon lost or abandoned, the pocket remaining unused.

Inl view of these various diculties, the

'applicant has devised a pocketin which the key may be inserted but from lWhich it projects, the-pocket being uncovered and pro# vided With a spring clip to engage and 'hold i the key, the engagement being automatic. In Fig.4 3 pocket 14 in the gripl l5-`of the spade handlemay extend the entire length or the grip, being open at- 16 at both ends form two peaks 18 spaced on each side of the centre portion 19 which isy concave toward the centre' of the pocket?, which portion 19 -forms a depression .20 to receive the edge of the key portion 12. The vplate spring 17 isv placed llongitudinally of the pocket'and se'- cured in any convenient manner as by means of a rivet 21, which as shown is passed through the centre of the spring and through the topsde Wall ofthe pocket. Each outer end lof the plate spring 15 beyond the peaks 18 is curved or inclined away from the adja-f' slight being overcome by the` thrust `with Which the key is inserted, -flattening the peak and permitting the key to enter the pocket;

The resiliency of the sprinof likewise serves tohold the key in the pociet. Preferably the spacing of thedepression 19 from one end of the pocket Jis such as to bring the cross pin or bar-'l1 in close contact JWith the outer surface ofthe grip surrounding .the I pocket opening, so that the -key is held against rattling. f i

In accordance With the practice prevailing in the applicants factory'and sales or anization, .a single spade handle fits-too s of several dilferentsizes sothat ordinarily each dealerneed' keep in stock` for replacement purposes but a single handle, but the dierf entsizes of4 drills having dierent sized the larger drills the keys are made heavier and .with larger bevel gears or other engaging parts, and in order to'accommodatethe various keys and to maintain the practice -yvhich requiresv but a-single handle to be kept 1n stock, the pockets may `be made so as to accommodate keysl of several dierent sizes.

.Such-a liandleis shown in' enlarged detail inf -l Figures 7 and l. This handle 211`has a pocket 25 Which may extend .the full length of the grip'and be open at both ends at 28."

iso

lAs shown the pocket contains' two iiexible springs 26 one on each side bent outwardly atthe centre to form a central chamber or s'lpace 27 between the springs with relatively constricted passages 30, 3l at each side of the chamber. inthe directions of the openings of the pocket. The passage between the springs is of th'eyfull width of the pocket openings at the ends, the springs at' these points 32 and 33 diverging from the restricted portions. The chamber-or space 27' between the centres 'of the springsxtapers toward the restricted portions 30, 31 which with the flexibility of the springs provides for the engagement of keys of diiferent sizes particularly having mitre frears'of different sizes. The length of the or less according to the diameter of the bevel pinions which permits the pinions of the larger keys to rest nearer the centre of the chamber in thev wider, part of the same, any tendency to play being duly taken up and any increase of size being accommodated by the flexibility of the springs in other types of keys other elements control.

In the preferred position of the key, the cross-bar 11 rests on the outside surface of the handle at the edge of the pocket opening.

Figure4 is a view of the handle looking at the pocket opening with the end of the key shaft 10' and the cross-bar 11 projecting therefrom, the latter being held in contact with the edges of the opening.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a spade ha dle having a pocket 34 'with a slightly d' erent form of spring clip', the same being in the form of a U-shaped spring, two

`of said springs being preferably usedv in each.

instance. The cross-arm of the U is secured to the handle on the edge 36 of the opening.

Ars shownone clip is placed on each side of the opening. IIhe legs 37 of the U project i outward at the end of the handle and are bent together intermediately and curved outward at the ends 38.- They form adjacent the cross-bar andimmediately adjacent the edges of the pocket opening a chamber or space 39 between the legs of the 'U-shaped spring to 'hold the cross-bar 11 of the key, and-at the outer ends a tapered funnel-like entrance 40 which facilitates the placing and admission of the cross-bar` 'to the grip chamber 39. The minimum dimension of the passage at 4l is less than the diameter of the cross-bar, so that the chuck key being thrust into the pocket and being advanced until'the cross'bar approaches the edges of the pocket opening, the cross-bar enters between the ends of the U-shaped spring and' is passed through the narrower portion of the opening overcoming the resistance of the spring and spreading the legs of the U, which as the cross-bar enters the chamber or enlarged space adjacent the edges of the walls of the pocket, spring together, gripping and holdkeys varies more ing the cross-bar between the arms of the yU- 4 shaped spring and preventing accidental displacement of the key from the pocket.

In FiguresvQ and 8 I have illustrated a portable electric ldrill or otherportable rotary power-driven tool having a chuck which is opened by means of a mitre pinion kcy. This tool has a pistol grip 46 in which is formed a pocket 44 for the key. This l pocket is. provided with a spring clip 45 of the U-shaped variety 35 v described in connection with Figures 5 and'6,'the same being secured to the edges of the pocket opening to hold the cross-bar 11 ofthe key 9. In this instance the' edges of the pocket are notched at 48 to admit the cross-bar and clip below the level of the edge ,of the pocket opening. A v v Figures 9 and l0 show a spadev handle asin Figures l, 3 and 7 having a pocket 50 in the grip'similarly placed to those in Figures l, 3

.and v7. In this pocket I have shown a key the pocket 50, the walls of the pocket being notched at 54 to Vadmit the cross-bar 11. The spring 51 holds lthe cross-bar l1 in the notch 54 which is upwardl disposed, so that the bar 11 is sprung in to t e enclosure of the .hook and held .against accidental displacement.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a key pocket for use in 4connection with a portable power-driven rotary tool, the manner of placingv the same in the tool, the function thereof, and'several forms of spring clip for :holding the ke inl Vthe pocket. The description is speci c and indetail in order that the invention and the manner of using the same may be fully understood; however, the specific terms herein are used descriptively'rather than in a limit-` ing sense, the scope of the invention'being defined in the claims. i

What I 4claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 'l l. A casing l for a rotary power-driven portable tool having achuck with gear teeth and a key with a toothed pinion t0 operate thel same, having a pocket adapted'to hold the key and a spring forming an enclosure to receive a portion of the key and a constricted opening to said enclosure through which the said'portionof the key is forced into the enclosure as the key is inserted into the pocket, causing the spring. to grip the key and hold it against displacement.

2. A handle for a power-driven portable rotary tool having a chuck and a key to operate the chuck, the handle having a pocket therein to receive the key, the pocket having a spring forming an enclosure to receive a portion of the to'ol and a vconstricted opening to said enclosure through which a portion of the key is passed, as the key is introduced into the pocket, automatically grip- 5 ping the key and ,holding it in the pocket.

3. A handlejfor a portable power-driven l rotary tool having a chuck and a key,` with a crossebarto operate the chuck, the handlehaving .a pocket therein to receive the key, the edges-of the pocket being notched to receive the Cross-bar and the notch being provided with means for holding the cross-bar in the notch.

Signedby me at Baltimore7 Maryland; l 

